Weak pelvic muscles cause various problems such as incontinence. Women, especially after vaginal child birth, often have weakened vaginal muscles and suffer from urine leakage, particularly whilst coughing or sneezing. The condition is well established, and various types of exercise treatment have been proposed.
Both men and women may suffer from rectal incontinence and may need to exercise and strengthen rectal muscles.
Early crude devices such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,928,893 titled “Vaginal and Rectal Exerciser” (from 1933) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,715 titled “Contraction resistance vaginal muscle exerciser” which describes a device somewhat reminiscent of a clothes-peg, are handheld spring devices that provide a counter force for the patient to overcome. Such devices exert a dilation force on the vagina that the patient tries to overcome. They are operable by the patient in private, but the handles protrude from the body so the device cannot be used discretely throughout the day. Such devices are also not calibrated.
An alternative approach is vaginal weight lifting. Essentially the patient tries to vaginally retain bulbs of different shapes, sizes and weights. Sometimes the weights are attached to a tail that protrudes from the vaginal opening. The idea is to train the vaginal tract to contract to apply a clamping pressure on the tampon, to overcome different weights that attempt to pull the tampon out of the body. The Guinness World Record for vaginal weightlifting is held by a physiotherapist called Tatyana Kozhevnikova who specializes in this physiotherapeutic treatment who dead-lifted a 14 kg kettle-bell.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,018 to titled “Pelvic floor muscle exerciser” describes a system that does not use weights but which utilizes an egg shaped tampon for insertion into the vaginal canal and a protruding tail that the patient pulls on to apply a force for the vaginal muscles to overcome. This system does not rely on gravity and so has greater flexibility and may be used by women who are immobilized.
USSN 2005/130818 to Karol describes a set of such exercisers with heads of different sizes, and different weights, and a tail protruding from the body. The weights are all within the head. The device is unitary which means less likely to break within the body. With reference to claim 34-37 thereof, it seems that the tail has different knobs diameters, or markings for noting depth of penetration and claim 57 teaches a stop to prevent over insertion. The head of the device may gradually or abruptly taper towards the tail and this affects the ease of retaining. The patient can switch devices to one more difficult to retain. An elbow sleeve may be used to fold the protruding tail to lie along the body, enabling the device to be retained whilst doing other things. Furthermore, this enables the patient to note twitching of the tail as the pelvic floor muscles are contracted.
More sophisticated systems use hydraulic or pneumatic systems to apply a dilation force on a tampon like insert These enable the patient's resistance to be monitored using a pressure gauge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,749 to Stein describes introducing a phallic shaped plug into the vagina or anus, and a both springy type exercisers (FIGS. 38 to 43) and the egg shaped head of an insert (FIG. 23). Also described, in FIGS. 35 to 37, is a phallus with fluid filled balloons along the shaft such that external pressure on a reservoir of fluid causes the walls of the phallus are caused to dilate. FIG. 24 shows syringes and bulbs that can be used to adjust the pressure.
USSN 2003/0087734 to Kring et al. teaches an inflatable insert that may be inflated with liquid of air, and which is provided with a pressure gauge. The degree of inflation of the insert may be measured as well as pressure thereon exerted by the pelvic muscles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,938 titled “Exerciser for vaginal muscles” describes yet another pneumatic/hydraulic system.
USS 2003/087734 titled “Vaginal-pelvic muscle exerciser and birthing trainer” describes a device for insertion into the birth canal of a female user. The device comprises an asymmetrical, inflatable, bulb defining an outer surface, the bulb sized and shaped so as to define a crease along at least a portion of the surface adapted to be placed in registry with the user's urethra when the bulb is inflated, the bulb further sized and shaped to contact the bulbocavernous facia, pubococcygeal facia and illiococcygeal facia when inflated, and means for inflating and deflating the bulb.
CN2668099 seems to work by pressure and to remote controlled. It is an external device that fits over the vaginal area and not an internal tampon.
CN203154731 titled Vaginal muscle contraction exerciser is a utility model for a vaginal muscle contraction exerciser which comprises a cylindrical hollow shell, a connecting plate arranged on the front section of the shell and provided with a through hole, an exercising rod with the rear end connected with the connecting plate and extending along the axial direction of the shell to the outer side of the front end of the shell, a cervix uteri tray arranged at the front end of the exercising rod, a piston mechanism arranged inside the shell to block communication of a front cavity and a rear cavity which are formed by dividing of the piston mechanism, and a handle mechanism connectedly sleeved on the shell and pulling the piston mechanism to move along the axial direction of the shell through ropes. The sealing ring is arranged at the edge of the front end of the shell. The vaginal muscle contraction exerciser is simple in structure and ingenious in design, a closed space is formed in a woman's vagina by the sealing ring and the cervix uteri tray, and the piston mechanism is controlled by a handle to be in reciprocating motion to reduce or restore air pressure of the closed space to force vaginal muscles to contract or extend along with the piston mechanism, so that muscle strength of the vaginal muscles is improved, sexual experience of a man and the woman in the sexual life is improved, and husband-wife affection is stabilized.
Although the discussion so far has related to women and urinary incontinence, men (and women) suffer from similar rectal problems and involuntary passing of stools can occur.
Using such devices to exercise the vaginal wall and the pelvic muscles has various disadvantages. Firstly, the patient needs to work with a therapist, whether a doctor, nurse or physiotherapist and this adds to the cost of such treatments. Secondly, many such treatments are designed for use in a clinic or surgery. The patient has to make an appointment and to exercise during the appointment slot Women with active lives and busy schedules find it difficult to attend such appointments. Also, because of menstruation, women may not be available for such appointments. Furthermore, due to scheduling and cost issues the series of treatments is generally short and inadequate. Additionally, it will be appreciated that many women feel exposed and embarrassed when undergoing such treatments, even in the presence of female medical personnel and clinicians.
A recent paper, titled “Evaluation of a new disposable “tampon like” electrostimulation technology (Pelviva®) for the treatment of urinary incontinence in women: a 12-week single blind randomized controlled trial” by Oldham J, Herbert J, McBride K. Neurourol Urodyn. 2013 June; 32(5): 460-6. doi: 10.1002/nau.22326. Epub 2012 Sep. 28, reports the results obtained using a disposable tampon which vibrates to ‘exercise’ or stimulate’ the vaginal muscle. The device stimulates the vaginal muscles and provides pelvic floor muscle exercise for treatment of urinary incontinence in women.
Some success has been claimed for this system. The problem is that muscle stimulation by vibration is not what happens in everyday life. It does not simulate the muscles relaxing during coughing or sneezing that results in unpleasant and potentially embarrassing urine leakage.
The device described exercises the pelvic muscles for the woman and may indeed tone them. It does not address the issue of incontinence as a result of coughing or sneezing. It does not train the woman to use her muscles more effectively.
Although the discussion so far has related to women and urinary incontinence, men (and women) suffer from similar rectal problems and involuntary passing of stools can occur.
There is a need for a device that is discrete and that may be used to train the vaginal and rectal muscles. Such a device should not require hooking up to external machines in a clinic.
There are a plethora of mobile phone applications for exercise training, monitoring blood pressure, heart rate and other vital statistics. For example, KR 101219990 titled “Portable Occupational Therapy Apparatus and Method for Hand Rehabilitation, Apparatus Including Smart Phone Application for the Occupational Therapy” describes a smart-phone that may be used for physiotherapy. The organ exercised in this publication is the hand.
USSN 2013/296,963 describes a system and method for treating erectile dysfunction in males. It provides stimulation from a smart-phone application and uses erotic imagery on the smart-phone together with stimulation to train and tone the male's muscles.
German patent application DE 102012109409 is directed to an adult toy, specifically to a vibrator, that consists of a housing, a silicone sleeve connected with the housing, an electric motor that serves as an oscillator, an energy storage and a control unit A wireless data communication device is provided with a data storage unit for storing data and with a non-contact switch element. The control unit is arranged to transfer stored data to a remote device and to receive data from the remote device. The non-contact switch element is arranged to activate and to deactivate functional states of the vibrator. A silicone sleeve is provided over the housing, electric motor, energy storage and control unit. The device described is more or less phallic shaped and may be controlled by a mobile phone or a computer, enabling an operator to stimulate someone remotely over an internet link.
Although the telecommunication is described as being two-way, it seems that the intention is that pictures may be taken with a camera on the device and sent to the remote operator who can control the vibration of the device via a two-way communication with a remote controller. The remote controller (two-way) may be a smart-phone.
Although, it can be used within the vagina and not only externally, it is clear that the application contemplated is a masturbatory device, and a tampon like device for positioning within the vaginal cavity and leaving there whilst the patient goes about her daily activities is not intended.
Slovak Patent Application No. SK1132001A3 to Švec František, Nitra-Zobor, S K et al. titled “Booster of Pelvic Muscles and Constrictor Muscles of Urethra” describes a system for strengthening pelvic muscles and constrictor muscles of the urethra. The system includes an applicator which is connected with the muscle activity booster and logical unit. Data is sent to a computer, which displays the actual status and the process of set up data on computer keyboard, while the cover of the applicator with conductive electrode including the shield of the applicator, connected by a connecting ring through the gasket, together with the control chip and the source form an independent unit with an appendage that may be manipulated.
The device described is a sort of tampon that provides an electronic stimulating signal to the pelvic muscles. It thus offers a method of treatment that is wholly unnatural.
There is a need for a system and method for training the vaginal and rectal muscles that does not require hooking up to external machines in a clinic, that is discrete and which enables the patient to actively and willfully practice tensing muscles and obtaining feedback that she is doing so correctly. During strenuous workouts in the gym such as sit-ups and the like, many women apply a downward pressure on the pelvic floor when they should really be applying an upwards pressure to prevent involuntary urine release. It would be useful to train the pelvic muscles at odd times of the day, such as in bed, in the office, whilst relaxing or whilst undergoing strenuous exercise.